The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (2024)

The Best Ginger Snaps. Thin crispy spiced cookies with plenty of warm ginger flavour. Just a Ziploc bag is all you need to decorate them for the Holidays too.

The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (1)

Cookies with royal icing decoration.

Today’s ginger snaps recipe comes to you courtesy of the ladies of the household. Spouse loves anything ginger and this is her recipe for crispy ginger snaps, one of the most perfect coffee or tea cookies.

The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (2)

Ginger is such a warm, comforting spice.

Number 1 kid dressed them up for Christmas with some simple snowflake designs. The designs were piped on using royal icing in a simple Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.

The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (3)

Ginger snaps

So, no special decorating equipment is required. It’s another great recipe for the Christmas freezer or at any time of year.

Looking for more Christmas baking ideas. We have a whole collection of our Fan Favourite Christmas Baking Recipes.

The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (4)

Best Christmas Baking Recipes

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The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (5)

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The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (6)
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Originally published December 2015. Updated November 2019 to provide nutritional information and a new printable recipe page.

The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (7)

Yield: 24 three inch cookies

The Best Ginger Snaps

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 13 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

The Best Ginger Snaps - thin crispy spiced cookies with plenty of warm ginger flavor. Just a Ziploc bag is all you need to decorate them for the Holidays too.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 tbsp ginger
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses

FOR THE ROYAL ICING

  • 1 large egg white
  • About 1 1/4 cups icing sugar, powdered sugar icing sugar (powdered sugar)
  • pinch cream of tartar

Instructions

  1. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and set aside.
  2. Cream together the shortening, butter, sugars and molasses until light and fluffy.
  3. Fold in the dry ingredient mixture until a soft dough forms.
  4. Refrigerate for a couple of hours until the dough is well chilled.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  6. Roll out to about 1/8 of an inch or a little thicker.
  7. Use cookie cutters to cut out the cookies and transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  8. Bake for 15-18 minutes depending upon the size of your cookies. The cookies pictured were made using a 3 inch cookie cutter and took about 17 minutes. You don't want to under bake them or they will not be crispy.
  9. Store in airtight containers. Freezes well.

TO MAKE THE ROYAL ICING

  1. Beat together the egg white, cream of tartar and about 1 cup of the icing sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. Beat in the remaining icing sugar a tablespoon at a time until the icing reaches a spreadable consistency.
  3. Use a piping bag or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off to draw on snowflake patterns.

Notes

Nutritional information calculated for undecorated cookies.

Recommended Products

Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.

Nutrition Information

Yield

24

Serving Size

24 3 inch cookies

Amount Per ServingCalories 137Saturated Fat 2gCholesterol 5mgSodium 160mgCarbohydrates 19gFiber 1gSugar 11gProtein 1g

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The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between ginger snaps and ginger cookies? ›

Both are spiced cookies. The main differences are that gingersnaps are typically rolled into balls, while gingerbread is rolled out and cut into shapes. Gingersnaps are also baked slightly longer, which is where they get their snappy crispiness. Gingerbread is typically a little chewier.

Are ginger snaps healthier than other cookies? ›

Most ginger snaps are lower in fat and sugar than other types of cookies, and you'll also get a good dose of certain vitamins and minerals, as well.

Why are my ginger snaps soft? ›

Freezing or chilling the dough will result in a soft and chewy gingersnap cookies. With crinkly tops and spicy flavor this version also makes the most delicious holders for ice cream. Baked immediately, you'll get crisp and crunchy gingersnaps – the kind that you can snap in half for proper dunking.

Why do my ginger snaps go flat? ›

The Problem: Your Oven Is Too Hot

If your cookies repeatedly turn out flat, no matter the recipe, chances are your oven is too hot. Here's what's happening. The butter melts super quickly in a too-hot oven before the other ingredients have firmed up into a cookie structure.

Why are my ginger cookies so hard? ›

“There are some gingerbread recipes that are hard right after baking and need to sit for a few days to soften. Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.”

What is another name for ginger snap cookies? ›

A gingersnap, ginger snap, ginger nut, or ginger biscuit is a biscuit flavored with ginger. Ginger snaps are flavored with powdered ginger and a variety of other spices, most commonly cinnamon, molasses and clove.

Can you eat too many ginger snaps? ›

Ginger is safe to eat daily, but experts recommend limiting yourself to 3 to 4 grams a day — stick to 1 gram daily if you're pregnant. Taking more than 6 grams of ginger a day has been proven to cause gastrointestinal issues such as reflux, heartburn and diarrhea.

Are ginger snaps good for high blood pressure? ›

Ginger may also decrease blood pressure by preventing blood clots from forming in your arteries and blood vessels, according to Castleman.

Why didn't my ginger snaps crack? ›

The oven isn't hot enough. (it needs to set the top before the middle's fully risen) Not enough leavening (it needs to be strong enough to crack the top once it's set) Using a single-acting baking powder (double acting gives extra rise when it gets heated)

What ethnicity is Ginger Snap? ›

Her exact ethnicity is unknown. She might be of Indian or Middle Eastern descent, for in the Thanksgiving book, she wears a blouse similar to Indian/Middle Eastern attire.

Why did my ginger snaps not crack? ›

The cookies were placed in an oven that was not pre-heated. Preheating is very important. If the temperature was fluctuating as the cookies were baking, they may not crack on the top. The butter and sugar may not have been blended well enough.

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

What order does Ginger Snaps go in? ›

Ginger Snaps Movies
  • Ginger Snaps (2000) Not Rated | 108 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror. 6.8.
  • Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004) R | 94 min | Horror, Thriller. 6.4.
  • Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004)

Which is better, baking soda or baking powder? ›

The leavening power of baking soda is about three to four times stronger than baking powder. This means that you need a lot less baking soda in your recipes. If a recipe calls for baking soda and you only have baking powder, you need to use the right baking soda to baking powder conversion.

Why are ginger cookies called snaps? ›

These early ginger cookies originated in Europe and came with the German, Dutch, and English settlers to America. Gingersnaps were named from the German or Middle Dutch word snappen, meaning "to seize quickly."

What is the difference between ginger snaps and spiced wafers? ›

The spiced wafer is like the gingersnap, except it includes other non-ginger spices like clove and cinnamon, as well as real blackstrap molasses. They're also baked longer than regular cookies, so they're extra crunchy.

Do ginger snaps have real ginger? ›

Nabisco Ginger Snaps is made with real ginger and molasses for authentic old fashioned flavor. Its a classic crunchy cookie with the fresh zing of ginger and sweetness of molasses.

Why is ginger snaps so good? ›

The strong female cast and biting satire of teenage life makes Ginger Snaps far more memorable than your average werewolf movie -- or teen flick.

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